In a social psychological field, a so-called mere exposure effect has heretofore been known, in which repetitive exposures to a subject enhance a preference for the subject. More specifically, it has been reported that: (1) repetitive exposures to a stimulus form a favorable attitude to the stimulus; (2) the more the number of exposures increases, the more the liking increases; and (3) stimuli are classified into those easily increasing the liking and those not easily increasing the liking. These findings have been demonstrated in people photographs (visual sense), melodies (auditory sense), sweetness and bitterness (gustatory sense), and so on. Nevertheless, no cases of scientific testing on the relationship between a fragrance (olfactory sense) and repetitive stimuli have been reported. Specifically, the finding has not yet been obtained that a preference for a fragrance is enhanced by continuous use.
On the other hand, cosmetics such as makeup or toiletry products such as shampoos are used almost every day. It has been desired that a fragrance of choice for consumers should be imparted to those products. However, under present circumstances, any study as to a fragrance imparted to these various products has not been conducted so far on change in preference for the fragrance when the products are repetitively used. If a fragrance that enhances a preference therefor by continuous use can be selected and imparted to these cosmetics or toiletry products, the continued purchase of the products by consumers can be expected.
A more specific description will be given to a hair cleanser. Even a hair cleanser, which offers a cleansing power, foaming, use texture, and use texture after hair drying sufficiently satisfactory to consumers in trial use at stores or in use immediately after purchase, brings about a phenomenon in which consumers' high intentions to continuously use the product are not obtained, even though the physical functions of the product are not reduced in daily use. This may be due to a phenomenon in which the consumers are bored to the product due to the continuous use or because consumer mentality is activated which requires more highly satisfactory product functions. Under present circumstances, for example, consumers buy many new different products and, as a result, feel a sense of satisfaction in using the hair cleansers. Thus, it was difficult to keep a high sense of satisfaction when the same products were continuously used.
Thus, if a hair cleanser that improves use texture thereof by continuous use can be provided, the continuous purchase of the same products by consumers can probably be expected.